Chess.com vs Lichess
The default home of online chess. Free, open-source chess. Forever.
Chess.com and Lichess are the two free-to-start platforms that 90% of online chess actually happens on, but they aren't the same product. Chess.com is a polished freemium suite with a paywall on lessons, courses, and unlimited puzzles. Lichess is a non-profit, open-source platform with everything unlocked - including the engine, the opening explorer, and unlimited puzzles. The choice isn't "which is better"; it's "which fits the way a returning adult actually trains?".
Verdict
For a 1200-1700 player who wants to play, analyze, and not be sold to every five clicks, Lichess wins on ergonomics. The interface is faster, the engine is the same Stockfish, and the puzzle rush format is identical. Chess.com pulls ahead the moment a structured curriculum matters - the Diamond tier's lesson library is genuinely the best money buys at this level, and the pairing pool at fast time controls is deeper. Pick Lichess for play and analysis, pick Chess.com Diamond for lessons.
In practice
A typical pattern for a 1500-rated returning adult: play rapid games on Lichess (no ads, faster reconnects), feed every loss into the Lichess analysis board for a 2-minute review, then use Chess.com Diamond once a week for a structured lesson plan on a specific weakness. The cost is one paid subscription, not two. Lichess is mentioned on every payment-sensitive page on this site for one reason: it's the honest fallback if any paid app stops being worth it.
| Â | Chess.com | Lichess |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free · from $4.17/mo | Free |
| Platforms | Web, iOS, Android | Web, iOS, Android |
| Audience | beginner, intermediate, advanced | beginner, intermediate, advanced, expert |
| Languages | EN, ES, FR, DE, PT, RU | EN, ES, FR, DE, PT, RU |
| Features | ||
| Play online | ||
| Play bots | ||
| Local pass-and-play | ||
| Tactics puzzles | ||
| Opening trainer | ||
| Endgame trainer | ||
| Spaced repetition | ||
| Video lessons | ||
| Live coaching | ||
| Engine analysis | ||
| Board scanner (OCR) | ||
| Opening repertoire | ||
| Cloud sync | ||
| Offline mode | ||
| Kid-safe | ||
| Tournaments | ||
| Rating system | ||
| Correspondence chess | ||
| Chess variants | ||
| Study & share | ||
| AI coach | ||
| Streaming-ready | ||
| Game database | ||
Pick Chess.com if…
- Largest active community - instant matchmaking at any hour
- Deeply integrated ecosystem (lessons, courses, coaches, tournaments)
- Strong mobile apps on both platforms
- Content library unmatched in volume
Pick Lichess if…
- Completely free - no ads, no paywalls, no upsells
- Stockfish engine analysis available to everyone
- Excellent Studies feature for coaches and collaborative analysis
- Large library of variants and unrated training modes
FAQ
- Is Chess.com better than Lichess?
- Neither is strictly "better" - they serve different priorities. Chess.com excels at: Largest active community - instant matchmaking at any hour. Lichess excels at: Completely free - no ads, no paywalls, no upsells. Pick based on the job you want done.
- Is Chess.com free?
- Chess.com has a free tier. Paid plans unlock: Prices shown are annual-billing equivalents (post-Sept 2025 restructure). Monthly billing is higher. Free tier includes unlimited play, limited puzzles/lessons, and 1 Game Review per day..
- Is Lichess free?
- Lichess has a free tier. Paid plans unlock: 100% free, no ads. Donations optional via Patron status..
- On what platforms are Chess.com and Lichess available?
- Chess.com runs on Web, iOS, Android. Lichess runs on Web, iOS, Android.
- Who should use Chess.com vs Lichess?
- Chess.com is aimed at beginner, intermediate, advanced. Lichess targets beginner, intermediate, advanced, expert. Our take: try the one whose audience description fits you.